News

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigeria’s long struggle with disease outbreaks has repeatedly shown how weak communication systems can worsen health emergencies.

In recent years, states have battled diphtheria, malaria, meningitis, Lassa fever, cholera and measles, often without clear public guidance at the peak of outbreaks.

In many cases, rumors travelled faster than official updates. Fear spread before facts reached the public. Misinformation filled the gaps left by delayed or poorly coordinated communication.

With memories of these challenges still fresh, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has launched a major step meant to strengthen outbreak communication.

This comes through a three-day workshop in Zaria, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lafiya Programme.

The initiative seeks to unite health agencies, media professionals, risk communication experts and government institutions to create a stronger, faster and more reliable information system ahead of future outbreaks.

Officials say the programme will help states avoid the costly lessons of the past. During Nigeria’s diphtheria crisis, many communities were unaware of symptoms before outbreaks escalated.

During meningitis outbreaks, myths overshadowed medical guidance in some states. During the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicting messages damaged public trust.

These experiences, experts say, prove that communication failures can be as deadly as the diseases themselves.

The Director-General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, declared the workshop open. He said the goal is no longer just to respond to outbreaks, but to communicate with clarity, speed and authority.

“This workshop is about building a united front — where health officials, journalists, and communication experts speak with one voice, guided by facts and science,” Prof. Abbas stated.

He described the partnership with FCDO-Lafiya as strategic, timely and necessary. He commended the organisation for sustained support in improving Nigeria’s health emergency systems.

He added that communication must stand alongside testing, vaccination and treatment in outbreak control.

Participants were drawn from health institutions, media organisations, government agencies and civil society groups.

They are expected to co-design a communication framework that prioritises rapid information flow, public engagement, rumor control and stakeholder alignment.

Facilitators will lead sessions on crisis media handling, digital risk communication, misinformation control, emergency coordination and broadcast-ready public messaging for disease outbreaks.

The workshop will also include group simulations, panel discussions and field scenarios aimed at turning knowledge into practice.

Public health analysts have strongly welcomed the initiative. They say outbreak preparedness in Nigeria must go beyond medical response. They argue that a well-informed public remains one of the strongest defenses during a health emergency.

Observers say Kano is taking a rare but necessary lead. Many states, they note, still lack structured outbreak information systems. Some states depend solely on federal communication during epidemics, leaving gaps in local response messaging.

Some wait until outbreaks are full-blown before launching public awareness efforts. Health experts warn that this delay has repeatedly cost lives.

By moving toward a structured communication plan, Kano is now positioning itself as one of the best prepared subnational systems in outbreak information management.

The workshop continues throughout the week, with officials stating that the final outcome will be a deployable outbreak communication model meant to guide real-time response within Kano and potentially across other Nigerian states.

By Anwar Usman

The Senate on Wednesday, has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to collect N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to cover part of the 2025 budget deficit.

The approval followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary.

The committee noted that the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, an increase of N5.25 trillion over the initial N54.74 trillion proposed by the Executive.

This expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion, of which N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded deficit of approximately N1.15 trillion.

Recall that, on November 4, Tinubu formally requested the fresh N1.15 trillion borrowing.

He stated that it would bridge the funding gap and ensure full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.

In a related development, a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi was adopted, directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify oversight to ensure that the borrowed funds are properly implemented and used strictly for their intended purposes.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has thrown its weight behind a naval officer who stood his ground against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, during a recent confrontation in the Gudu district of Abuja.

The incident, which was captured on video, showed the minister engaged in a heated argument with the officer, who was preventing the FCT team from accessing a disputed piece of land.

In a statement released on Wednesday by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the military high command commended the officer’s conduct.

The statement emphasized the importance of serving the nation with “honesty, integrity, and honour,” while adhering to orders with discipline and respect.

“It is a virtue to serve the nation with honesty and integrity. The military encourages any officer who stands to protect the dignity of the nation and its laws with honour,” the DHQ stated.

The land in question is reportedly owned by the immediate-past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd).

The confrontation has highlighted ongoing tensions over land disputes in the capital city.

Security and government authorities are said to be investigating the incident to establish the full facts and prevent any further friction between civil ministries and the armed forces.

By Uzair Adam

The member representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Engr. Sagir Ibrahim Koki, has resigned his membership from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), citing persistent internal leadership crises within the party.

In a resignation letter dated November 11, 2025, and addressed to the NNPP Ward Chairperson of Zaitawa Ward, Kano Municipal, Koki said his decision to leave the party was made in accordance with his constitutional rights and the NNPP’s internal provisions.

He stated, “My decision to exit the NNPP becomes necessary because the internal crisis in the party leadership at the centre has made it difficult, if not impossible, for me to continue discharging my duties and provide my people, the good people of Kano Municipal, with the desired representation in the House of Representatives.”

Hon. Koki, who also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), appreciated the NNPP for the opportunity to serve under its platform.

“I thank the party most sincerely for the opportunity accorded me to serve under its platform. The support, trust and experience I have gained during my reign as a member have been invaluable, and I remain deeply grateful to the leadership and members of the party at all levels,” he added.

Although he did not indicate his next political move, sources close to the lawmaker told The Daily Reality that consultations are ongoing regarding his future political direction.

Koki, a professional engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), was elected on the NNPP platform during the 2023 general elections.

His resignation comes amid a wave of defections and internal disagreements that have continued to rock the NNPP both at the national and state levels.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A brazen car thief infiltrated the Kano State Government House in the early hours of Monday, successfully stealing a Toyota Hilux from the deputy governor’s convoy.

According to security sources, the suspect entered the secure compound through Gate 4 and later exited unchallenged through the main gate.

The audacious theft went completely unnoticed by security personnel at the time.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the major security lapse.

It was confirmed that CCTV footage from the area is being scrutinized and the official driver assigned to the vehicle has been taken in for questioning.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has condemned the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his public confrontation with a soldier, calling it a threat to national security that requires an apology.

Buratai’s statement comes after videos circulated online showing Wike in a heated argument with military personnel over a disputed plot of land in Abuja on Tuesday.

He described the minister’s “verbal assault on a uniformed officer” as a profound act of indiscipline that undermines the nation’s command structure and disrespects the authority of President Bola Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief.

“The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less,” Buratai stated, insisting Wike must immediately apologise to both the President and the officer involved.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

A regular contributor to The Daily Reality’s opinion section, Aisha Musa Auyo, has successfully defended her PhD dissertation in Educational Psychology at Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

Dr Auyo’s doctoral research, titled “Influence of Achievement Motivation, Academic Self-Concept, Emotional Regulation and Locus of Control on the Academic Achievement of Public Secondary School Students in Kano and Jigawa States of Nigeria,” marks a significant contribution to the study of learning behaviour and student performance in northern Nigeria.

Her achievement comes after six years of rigorous academic work and dedication. Described by her husband, Dr AC Abdullahi Maiwada, as “an authentic product of BUK,” Dr Auyo was born, raised, educated, and married within the university community, where she obtained all her degrees.

Academia also runs deep in her family. Her parents, Prof. Musa Auyo and Dr Hadiza Umar, both serve in BUK’s Department of Library and Information Science, while her husband, Dr Maiwada, holds a PhD in Mass Communication. Her parents-in-law are also accomplished academics, making the Auyo-Maiwada family one deeply rooted in scholarship.

The Daily Reality congratulates Dr Auyo on her outstanding achievement and wishes her continued success in her academic and professional pursuits.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced a significant escalation in its counterterrorism operations, conducting precision airstrikes that eliminated Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and destroyed several bandit enclaves across multiple states.

According to a statement from the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the coordinated missions targeted ISWAP terrorists in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram, Borno State.

The operations also destroyed bandit hideouts in Garin Dandi and Chigogo, Kwara State, as well as Zango Hill in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The statement indicated that these strikes represent a decisive phase in the ongoing joint military operations, known as Operation HADIN KAI and Operation FANSAN YAMMA, which are aimed at dismantling terrorist and criminal networks across Nigeria’s northern region.

The success of these missions underscores the Nigerian Air Force’s renewed operational tempo, following directives from the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke.

Each mission reaffirms the NAF’s commitment to deploying smarter, intelligence-driven airpower to neutralize insurgents and criminals, thereby protecting the lives and property of citizens and enhancing national security.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A former Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aliyu Usman Tilde, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, over what he described as a clear display of bias.

Dr. Tilde made the call in a post on his Facebook page where he wrote: “TINUBU: INEC Chairman Should Resign or be Kicked Out. This is too gross and partial for his chair.”

His comment followed the resurfacing of a 2020 publication authored by Professor Amupitan, in which he described the violence against Christians in Nigeria as “genocide.”

The document, titled “Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter: Genocide in Nigeria and the Implications for the International Community,” was part of a legal brief submitted to international organisations.

In the publication, Amupitan stated that crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity were being committed in Nigeria, adding that the victims were “mainly the Christian population and minority ethnic groups.”

The resurfacing of this document has triggered heated reactions across the country, with critics saying the position taken by Amupitan before his appointment raises serious questions about his neutrality as the nation’s electoral umpire.

Dr. Tilde, in his post, expressed concern that such views could undermine public trust in INEC, insisting that the chairman’s past statements make him unfit to preside over Nigeria’s electoral process.

Neither Professor Amupitan nor INEC has officially responded to the criticism.

However, some of his supporters argue that his earlier legal opinion was written in his capacity as an academic and lawyer, not as an election official.

The controversy has continued to generate debate among political observers, with calls for President Tinubu to address the matter to safeguard the credibility of future elections.

By Maryam Ahmad

In a development few could have imagined a year ago, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. The visit marks the first time a Syrian head of state will be officially received in Washington — a remarkable turn for a man who, until recently, was wanted by the United States.

As recently as December, al-Sharaa carried a $10 million American bounty on his head for his alleged role as an al-Qaeda commander. Now, following a stunning political transformation and rise to power in Damascus, he is being welcomed as a foreign leader and potential partner in the Middle East.

In anticipation of the visit, the U.S. Treasury Department has lifted sanctions against al-Sharaa and his intelligence chief, signalling a major policy shift. Meanwhile, Congress is debating the repeal of the Caesar Act, the 2019 legislation that imposed sweeping sanctions on Syria’s construction, energy, and financial sectors. The Senate has already voted to rescind the law, though the House of Representatives has yet to follow suit.

Inside Syria, reactions are mixed. While some citizens express frustration over al-Sharaa’s secretive governance and reliance on a close inner circle, others see his global rehabilitation as a point of national pride.

For many observers, al-Sharaa’s journey embodies one of the most dramatic reversals in modern diplomacy. Once a U.S. prisoner in Iraq, he will now step into the Oval Office — a symbol of how swiftly global politics can change.